Page 66 of The Shattered Kingdom
“What?” I must not have heard Kie correctly.
The faerie chuckles. “Hit him, preferably as hard as you can. See for yourself that it’s still Mason. He’s not going to hurt you.”
The mere thought has my hands shaking. Still, I widen my stance, shove away my fear, and swing. Mason doesn’t move so much as an inch as I connect my palm with the side of his head.My hand stings like a bitch, though, and I let out a pained gasp as I clutch my fingers to my chest.
Mason plops down on his butt. He’s still as tall as I am.
“I’m overcoming my fear,” I whisper to myself. I’m shaking, adrenaline rushing as I eye Mason’s muzzle and the teeth I know live behind his lips. “Open your mouth.”
Mason’s jaw drops, and I stare into his throat before sticking my hand inside it. I wiggle my fist inside his mouth like a fish before pulling it back out. He didn’t bite me. Good.
“His ears are sensitive,” Kie says.
I grab the fuzzy, pointed ear and yank. This time, Mason reacts. A pained whine pours from his throat as he throws his body toward his ear, following my tugging. Still, he doesn’t attack me.
I release his ear, guilty as he rubs it against the ground.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
Kie chuckles. “He deserves it.”
Kie’s in a better mood already. He’s laughing and encouraging me to hurt Mason, two things he hasn’t done since finding Lill. I wonder if the sleep has anything to do with it.
I zip up Mason’s backpack, and Kie smoothly throws it over his shoulder. He also tries to take my bag, but I pull it out of his reach before he gets his grubby hands on it. It isn’t that heavy, and I can manage just fine.
I turn toward Mason.
“Lead the way, Scooby.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
KIERAN
ABBY MARCHES AHEAD of us, leading the way. She doesn’t know where she’s going, but she’s following the sound of the river, heading toward the shoreline. It’s accurate enough.
Mason walks alongside her, his body so close that his fur brushes against her fingers. I suspect asking him to give her space will be about as successful as splitting hairs. He’s protective of her, and anybody who sees us will recognize it.
“Mace…” I start.
He turns his head, peering at me over my shoulder.
I open my mouth, but then I realize I have nothing to say and clamp it shut. Mason doesn’t accept that. He smacks his jaw against Abby’s hip to stop her, and we both pretend not to notice her quiet, nervous shriek. She’s still wary of Mason, but it won’t last forever.
Mason stares, waiting for me to speak.
“Do you sense anything?” I ask.
It’s a stupid question. Mason would make it abundantly clear if somebody were nearby. This area isn’t highly trafficked by the shifters, which is precisely why I brought us here. Shifters aren’t kind to faeries, and if they see us outside the meeting grounds,they’ll attack first and ask questions later.
I’m willing to bet the entire forest from the entrance at Farbay to Traul River is crawling with shifters. Alpha Theon requested a meeting that only Mason would be able to make for a reason. He wants his son to come alone, and I’m sure the shifters are waiting for him to come running through.
Mason stares at me. I imagine he’d be saying something snarky if he were in his skin form. After a moment, he turns back around, not bothering to engage further with me.
I release a quiet breath, and we continue walking.
“It helps to think of you as a pet,” Abby says to Mason.
Her voice is low, cautious even. She’s scared to be loud. I hate her fear, but I’m appreciative of it. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
